MAIN CONTRIBUTORS TO CHANGE
PENSIONER AND BENEFICIARY HOUSEHOLDS
The PBLCI rose 0.5% in the December quarter 2013. The main contributor to the rise was food and non-alcoholic beverages (+1.8%), mainly due to rises in vegetables and fruit. Alcohol and tobacco (+1.8%) and recreation and culture (+1.6%) also contributed to the rise.
Health (-2.2%) contributed the most significant partial offset, largely due to a fall in pharmaceutical products.
The PBLCI recorded a smaller rise than the CPI (+0.8%) in the December quarter 2013. Pensioner and beneficiary households have a relatively lower proportion of expenditure on recreation and culture, which rose this quarter, and a relatively higher proportion of expenditure on health than the CPI population, which fell this quarter. The fall in interest charges, which is not included in the CPI, also contributed to the smaller rise.
The PBLCI rose 2.4% through the year to the December quarter 2013 compared to the CPI which rose 2.7% through the year to the December quarter 2013.
EMPLOYEE HOUSEHOLDS
The living cost index for employee households rose 0.4% in the December quarter 2013. The main contributors to the rise were food and non-alcoholic beverages (+1.5%), mainly due to rises in vegetables and fruit, and recreation and culture (+2.0%) mainly due to rises in domestic holiday travel and accommodation. Alcohol and tobacco (+1.6%) also contributed to the rise.
The most significant partially offsetting fall was recorded for insurance and financial services (-2.0%), due to a fall in interest charges.
The LCI for employee households recorded a smaller rise than the CPI (+0.8%) in the December quarter 2013. This was mainly due to the fall in interest charges, which is not included in the CPI.
The LCI for employee households rose 1.3% through the year to the December quarter 2013 compared to the CPI which rose 2.7% through the year to the December quarter 2013.
AGE PENSIONER HOUSEHOLDS
The living cost index for age pensioner households rose 0.6% in the December quarter 2013. The main contributor to the rise was food and non-alcoholic beverages (+1.8%), mainly due to rises in vegetables and fruit. Recreation and culture (+1.8%) and alcohol and tobacco (+1.5%) also contributed to the rise.
The most significant partially offsetting fall was recorded for health (-2.0%), largely due to a fall in pharmaceutical products.
The LCI for age pensioner households recorded a smaller rise than the CPI (+0.8%) in the December quarter 2013. Age pensioner households have a relatively higher proportion of expenditure on health, which recorded a fall this quarter.
The LCI for age pensioner households rose 2.5% through the year to the December quarter 2013 compared to the CPI which rose 2.7% through the year to the December quarter 2013.
OTHER GOVERNMENT TRANSFER RECIPIENT HOUSEHOLDS
The living cost index for other government transfer recipient households rose 0.6% in the December quarter 2013. The main contributor to the rise was food and non-alcoholic beverages (+1.7%), mainly due to rises in vegetables and fruit, and alcohol and tobacco (+1.9%), mainly due to rises in tobacco. Recreation and culture (+1.4%) and housing (+0.4%) also contributed to the rise.
The most significant partially offsetting falls were recorded for insurance and financial services (-1.5%), mainly due to a fall in interest charges, and health (-2.6%), mainly due to a fall in pharmaceutical products.
The LCI for other government transfer recipient households recorded a smaller rise than the CPI (+0.8%) in the December quarter 2013. Other government transfer recipient households have a relatively lower proportion of expenditure on recreation and culture, which rose this quarter. The fall in interest charges, which is not included in the CPI, also contributed to the smaller rise.
The LCI for other government transfer recipient households rose 2.5% through the year to the December quarter 2013 compared to the CPI which rose 2.7% through the year to the December quarter 2013.
SELF-FUNDED RETIREE HOUSEHOLDS
The living cost index for self-funded retiree households rose 1.0% in the December quarter 2013. The main contributor to the rise was recreation and culture (+3.0%), which was mainly due to increases in both domestic and international holiday travel and accommodation. Food and non-alcoholic beverages (+1.8%) and alcohol and tobacco (+1.5%) also contributed to the rise.
The most significant partially offsetting falls were recorded for health (-0.5%), mainly due to pharmaceutical products and clothing and footwear (-1.1%), mainly due to garments for women.
The LCI for self-funded retiree households recorded a larger rise than the CPI (+0.8%) in the December quarter 2013. Self-funded retiree households have a relatively higher proportion of expenditure on recreation and culture, which rose this quarter.
The LCI for self-funded retiree households rose 2.6% through the year to the December quarter 2013 compared to the CPI which rose 2.7% through the year to the December quarter 2013.
Percentage change, Commodity group - September Quarter 2013 to December Quarter 2013 |
|
 | Pensioner and beneficiary LCI | Employee LCI | Age pensioner LCI | Other government transfer recipient LCI | Self-funded retiree LCI | Consumer Price Index (CPI) |
| Weighted average of eight capital cities | | | | | | % |
|
| Food and non-alcoholic beverages | 1.8 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.6 |
| Alcohol and tobacco | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 1.6 |
| Clothing and footwear | -1.0 | -1.1 | -1.1 | -1.0 | -1.1 | -1.1 |
| Housing(a) | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.5 |
| Furnishings, household equipment and services | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Health | -2.2 | -0.3 | -2.0 | -2.6 | -0.5 | -0.5 |
| Transport | -0.3 | -0.2 | -0.2 | -0.3 | -0.2 | -0.1 |
| Communication | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.2 |
| Recreation and culture | 1.6 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 3.0 | 2.1 |
| Education | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Insurance and financial services(b) | -1.2 | -2.0 | -0.1 | -1.5 | -0.2 | 0.2 |
| All groups | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.8 |
|
| (a) House purchases are included in the CPI but excluded from the other indexes. |
| (b) Includes interest charges and general insurance, except for the CPI. Interest charges are excluded from the CPI and general insurance is calculated on a different basis. |
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